Music

The college caters for students from Years 1 to 13 through a wide range of academic, cultural, sporting, social and religious programmes.
2008 ERO Review

Queen Margaret College offers a wide range of choral and instrumental opportunities for students. In addition to the many school groups, private lessons in a range of instruments are also available as well as voice lessons.

Choral groups

Charisma: The Queen Margaret Chorale
The school's premier choir, under the directorship of Rosemary Russell, is an auditioned group made up of Year 10-13 girls. It has a high profile within the school, singing at all its major events and participating regularly in the National Big Sing Finale, as well as working in combination with the Queen's Singers.

Celesta
An un-auditioned choir for Year 7 and 8 girls and directed by Susie Hardie, this group has a varied role, which includes school events and various out-of-school occasions such as Art Splash. In 2010 Celesta will sing as part of the College production of Sound of Music.

Barbershop - Sweet Margaritas
Formed in 2004 by Tim Jenkin who continues to direct the group, the Sweet Margaritas are the New Zealand champions for 2009 and have been selected for the National Final of the Barbershop Competition five times. Fun and relaxed but challenging, the Sweet Margaritas has grown from 15 to currently having 55 members.

Cantare
This is a choir especially for Year 9-10 girls, and Emphasis is on enjoyment of a wide variety of music, part-singing and performance at school events. This choir has participated in the Wellington Big Sing a number of times.

Cherubim: the Junior Choir
Susie Hardie directs Cherubim, which is an un-auditioned choir for Years 4-6, and sings at various school events throughout the year.

The Princess Singers
The Princess Singers was formed in 2000 and is an unauditioned choir for Preps to Year 3. Denise Whitley and Joanne Simpkins run the choir and often the girls are accompanied by a senior student.The choir sings at various school events, including Junior Prizegiving. The emphasis is on encouraging enjoyment of singing and providing performance opportunities.

Queen's Singers
Director: David Vine
Chair: Janis McLauchlan janis_mclauchlan@paradise.net.nz
The Queen's Singers was formed in July 1995 and is a choir of parents, staff and friends associated with the school. It aims to foster enjoyment of singing a variety of styles of music, to support the school at major functions such as the Easter Service and Carol Service, to offer opportunities for girls to experience 4-part music, and to operate as an independent community choir at other times.

Instrumental Groups

Senior Orchestra
Directed by Tim Jenkin, the orchestra is for girls from any level who have a few years' experience on their instrument. As well as performing at the major school concerts, the orchestra has an important role in the school's formal ceremonies such as Prize-Giving.

Concert Bands
Under the directorship of Susie Hardie, the Trainer Junior Band consists of a number of Year 6 girls who are learning wind instruments from scratch! This is an exciting opportunity to try an instrument and learn some ensemble skills at the same time. For more experienced girls there is an Intermediate Band.

Jazz Band
A group of Jazz enthusiasts who meet to explore some of the standard repertoire with Tim Jenkin.

Chamber Music
Tutors: Music staff

Have a listen to some of the tracks from our 90th Jubilee CD:

Beau Soir by Claude Debussy Queen Margaret College Chorale director: Rosemary Russell, accompanist: Fiona McCabe